Petaluma Museum

Trips back in time are routine in Historic Downtown Petaluma, California especially at the century old former Carnegie Library building at 20 Fourth St. which is now home to the Petaluma Museum. The building, designed by local architect Brainerd Jones, is a local piece of national history. Built from locally quarried stone, the cornerstone of the neo-classical building was laid in 1904 and like many of Petaluma’s historic downtown emerged unscathed from the 1906 earthquake that devastated much of Northern California including San Francisco. The building features one of the largest leaded glass domes in Northern California, the original fan-glass windows, round leaded glass windows, interior wood paneling and columns.

About this Establishment

While the building is the embodiment of past times, The Petaluma Museum also hosts permanent and visiting exhibitions that bring cultural history alive. Free docent -guided walking tours of Petaluma’s historic districts originate at 10:30 a.m. on the steps of the Museum most Saturdays from May through October. While costumed docents show people around historic downtown, visitors also get a free tour of the museum. To take advantage of the building’s reputation for great acoustics, classical music concerts are also frequently held in the main area under the colorful, glass done. To learn more about what the Petaluma Museum offers would-be time travelers, visit the website at www.petalumamuseum.com

Time Period Represented: 1904-2010

Hours Open: Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visitor Fees: Visits to the Museum are free, donations for some special events